Discussion: SSUSA Staff Question - Collisions

SSUSA Staff Question - CollisionsStaff,
Since you may not have noticed the question I asked several times in the discussion titled "Offensive Interference", I am asking the question in this discussion. What is the intent of rule 8.6 in the current rules? I ask this question specifically to determine whether or not the intent of the rule is to prevent injuries by not allowing intentional breakups of double plays by baserunners. This is a topic often encountered during SSUSA tournaments and even SSUSA umpires have commented on their interpretation of the rule. Thanks in advance for your response.

The overall intent of Rulebook §8.6 is player safety. There are two primary components to that intent:

• Avoiding collisions between runners and defensive players is foremost. This rule contemplates prohibiting actions by a base runner which place a defensive player at physical risk, including sliding into the defender to hinder the continuation/completion of a play. The double play scenario is specifically mentioned in the last sentence of the rule. Accordingly, we conclude that sliding into a defensive player to break up a double play is prohibited.

• The rule also provides a limited exception to the prohibition against a base runner sliding into 1st Base or Home, because of the dual base configuration. (The runner may slide or dive while returning to 1st Base.) If, in the umpire's sole judgment (NOT an appeal play), the runner slides into 1st Base or Home to avoid a collision with a defensive player, (s)he will not be declared out. (NOTE: The Rule title states the intent of the optional sliding exception, but the language of the rule is vague as to its application. This was an inadvertent language omission in the last printing of the Rulebook. We will address the issue of more specific and consistent language during the Rules Committee Sessions at this year's SSUSA Annual Convention in Mesquite, NV, in late November.)

Accordingly, we conclude that sliding into a defensive player to break up a double play is prohibited.

then how is a base runner able to break up a DP....to me your making it more dangerous on the fielder,as most runners will come at the guy turning 2 standing up,also it puts the runner at risk of being hit by a throw....

Staff,
Thanks for the response and the clear explanation. I hope that in the future this rule will be applied evenly at all SSUSA events. For MadDog, my interpretation is that you cannot break up a double play either sliding or standing up. In my opinion if the runner going into second is going to clearly be out the smart play is to give yourself up by getting out of the baseline.

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